Redemption
by Tashe Dangerous Eyes
Summary: Paige's life is in Piper's hands, but to save her baby sister she will have to convince her of something she herself has found difficult to accept.
1. Chapter 1

Redemption

by: Tashe Dangerous Eyes

Summary: Paige's life is in Piper's hands, but to save her baby sister she will have to convince her of something she herself has found difficult to accept.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: I just wanted to add my two cents to this relationship that lacked moments like this on the tv show.

**Chapter 1**

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The lone tear made it down her cheek, sparkling brightly with the borrowed light emanating from her luminescent aura. It didn't faze her anymore the fact that she could cry, something she was sure would be denied to a wandering spirit. Not wandering; trapped. From the moment she had died and found herself condemned to an eternity in limbo she had discovered that it was possible to give in to sadness after death. The realization almost destroyed her, after all, it was her sorrows what she was trying to escape when she…

But, it was not her sorrow what was making her cry now but the one mercilessly hugging the broken heart of the angel she was observing. The first time she had sensed her pain it was so overwhelming that she had no choice but to find its source, forgetting for a while what she was and where she was forced to spend her eternity. If at all, she was trying to escape her own torment with this distraction. Except that now it was no longer a distraction. In a strange way it had become some form of mission, especially after what she had seen the last time this angel's sorrow became too much for her to deal with anymore.

She dared think that some kind of cosmic or heavenly force was at work that day and so the young woman lived to survive another day, to have another chance, remaining on her side of the spectrum and not crossing over to where she was, to be condemned as she was. But, she was sure that the circumstances needed to be shaken and changed if the beautiful angel in front of her was going to make it out of the darkness that tormented her. That is why, from the moment she had found her submerged in such deep pain, she has been trying to reach out, to do something so her fate didn't become as terrible as her own.

Now, as she saw her suffering even in sleep, she decided not to wait a second more and take action. The moment was finally here, after long days and weeks of trying to master the ability to be seen and heard, she was going to be able to help her. But she was not the one she wanted to talk to. She was not the one who needed to put in order her world and get rid of the chaos, no, it was the one who had made it so in the first place.

The transparent spirit of the young woman made her way through the bedroom's door and across the hallway just to go through yet another closed door and to another sleeping figure whose dreams were far from being tormented. This made her a little angry because it was not fair. But she got rid of her anger quickly. She had observed more than just the beautiful angel across the way, she had observed the root of her torment as well and it was driving her crazy how the lack of sincere and open communication between them was causing so much pain, but worse than that, it was conducting the younger of the two down a dangerous road; a road that only ended in tragedy and that was what she was here to stop.

"Piper." She called softly, but her voice sounded softer than it should have, not able to even make a dent on the sleeping woman's slumber. She concentrated harder and tried again. "Piper!"

Piper Halliwell heard her name being called and didn't even consider ignoring the voice in favor of her rest. After years of being under constant attack at all hours of the day and night, she knew better than that. A second wasted could very well mean life or death for her or her sisters, and she was not going to allow that to happen. Not on her watch.

She opened her eyes and looked to the door, expecting to see Phoebe or Paige at the entrance, but her eyes went back in a flash to the luminescent spot they traveled too quickly over in her haste to respond to the voice. However, she was now realizing that the voice and the light were coming from the same place; the floating spirit in front of her. With wide opened eyes Piper recoiled to the headboard of her bed, trying to put distance between her and the possible danger she was probably going to be facing. She couldn't take her eyes off of her, but she didn't have to do that to know that Leo, her beloved husband, hadn't been sleeping by her side. She remembered he had been summoned by the Elders for something very important two days ago and that he was yet to return. Piper didn't care how important it was, she was about to summon him back.

"Please, don't be afraid. I'm not here to harm you, only to talk. And it is imperative that you listen to what I have to say." The spirit said with a voice so calmed and a tone so sincere that Piper couldn't help but to calm down despite herself. Not to mention that demons never said 'please'.

"Who..who who...who are you?" Piper asked, obviously startled by the apparition. _Great show of strength, Piper. _The young witch recriminated herself.

"My name is Caroline and I have something important to tell you." Piper took a second to catch her breath and remembering that she was the oldest sister and a powerful witch, she decided to act the part.

"Let me guess," Piper said, her attitude making a one eighty in a second. "...you're some sort of trapped spirit and you need the Charmed Ones to help you escape from wherever you are so you can move on. Am I close?"

Caroline listened to Piper and felt the anger she had felt a few moments before trying to come back and stay after hearing her sarcastic tone. But Caroline had a mission to accomplish and she was not going to waste time, especially when she didn't know how much time she had in the first place.

"You are correct...and yet so wrong. How much I wish you could be so assertive where it really counts." Piper looked at her perplexed, not understanding what the spirit meant.

"What are you talking about? Are you here because you need our help or not?" The question was designed so even the spirit in front of her couldn't get it wrong so she and her sisters could start finding a way to help her. Piper was not happy about the hour of the request, but she was not about to turn her back on an innocent either, however transparent they were. Even with the occasional visit from her grandmother, a spirit herself, it was still a bit unsettling to be able to see through people.

"I'm here because I need your help, Piper, but not so you can save me. I'm beyond saving if you haven't noticed. I'm here so you can save your sister."

Piper's eyebrows went from being furrowed with confusion to be almost all the way to her hairline with surprise, but ultimately they settled in their natural state, unmoving, when panic took over her.

"What do you mean by that? Is she okay, are they okay? Which one is it?" Piper asked frantically, not knowing which one of her sisters the spirit was referring to or what the danger was, or even if something had already happened. She made to get out of the room to go find out, but the spirit got in front of her, to prevent her from taking another step and it did just that. Piper halted, like Caroline was tangible at all and she didn't want to ram into her.

"She is fine, Piper, at least physically. But she won't be for long unless you do something, and only you can help her." Piper abandoned the idea of leaving her room, but the sense of dread about the safety of her sisters didn't abandon her.

"Who are you talking about, which sister?" The eldest Charmed One knew she was being redundant, but she was feeling panicky which in turn made her less reasonable.

"I'm talking about Paige. You are about to lose her in the worst way possible because she is battling an enemy she can't possibly defeat, not when it's not even her battle to begin with."

Caroline saw Piper looking at her, her eyes dancing all over her face, like she was trying to comprehend her words but at the same time not wanting to believe them. She waited patiently for her to process them, knowing that eventually she was going to ask the question that for sure was going to make the reaching of her goal even more difficult. But she didn't care, she wasn't going to fail, she couldn't.

Piper was still trying to comprehend what she was hearing. After fighting against so many evils and defeating them, now she was being told there was an enemy they couldn't defeat. No, Caroline had said an enemy Paige couldn't defeat. Granted, Paige was not as experienced as she and Phoebe were, but she was a powerful witch and she had been there when they defeated the Source, arguably the biggest evil of all. So, how could this Caroline believe they couldn't defeat this new enemy? After realizing that the questions in her mind could not be answered unless she voiced them, Piper asked the most obvious question first.

"Who is this enemy that is trying to destroy my sister? Tell me so I can vanquish it before it comes after her." The determination was there and Caroline saw it, she just hoped it wouldn't fade away when she answered.

"I'm glad you are so willing to protect her, because she is at the end of her rope."

"You mean she's already under attack?"

"She has been, yes." Caroline responded simply, making Piper's panic increase exponentially.

"Who is it? Who's hurting Paige?" She asked again, ready to take deadly action against whatever force to make sure her little sister was save.

"You are, Piper. You are hurting her. You are killing her."

Piper fell silent, she was too stunt and too shocked to utter a word. Now more than ever she couldn't believe the words of the spirit. She was Paige's older sister, her family, her teacher...She had opened the doors of her house to her and took care of her as much as she could. How was she hurting her, let alone killing her? What did that even mean?

"I don't understand what you mean. I don't hurt my sister, neither of them. And killing her, that's ridiculous." Piper pointed through her closed door towards the general direction of her sisters, trying to emphasize her point while taking a couple of steps forward, furious at being accused of doing something bad against any of her sisters.

In spite of Piper's outburst, the floating apparition let her face demonstrate some of the sadness she had been experiencing for Paige and for her situation because her older sister's reaction was just the reason for her present lack of love for life. She needed to help Piper understand why and how she was hurting Paige.

"Tell me something, Piper," Caroline started softly. "…do you know about the terrible situation Paige had to get through when she was thirteen?" Piper was momentarily taken aback with the sudden change in subject, but almost inevitably started looking for an answer. She was used to knowing everything about her sisters, so it was natural for her to try and find the answer in her mind, no matter how old the fact. Everything was there, especially being the middle sister. She knew their every secret and their every hope. They…She knew all about Prue and about Phoebe…Paige, she hardly knew anything about her baby sister. Piper was barely starting to shake her head 'no' after thinking for only a second when Caroline asked her another question, like she already knew that was going to be Piper's answer.

"How about the amount of time she became just a number before she could be placed on a foster home after her parents died, or how many foster homes she went through before finally being able to stay in one permanently?" Caroline kept at it, not giving Piper a chance to say anything, but saw as her face continued to go from one pained expression to the next after learning what little she could of Paige just by listening to the questions. Caroline had to wonder how she would react if she knew the answers.

"Perhaps the past is not your thing. She's been with you how long now...just a little over a year? I'm being unfair. Let's try something current." Piper tried to interrupt, but Caroline didn't relent. "Do you know that at work she was constantly reprimanded for taking in more than she could handle because she didn't want to come back here, the place that is suppose to be her home? Have you noticed the weight she had lost lately, or the amount of time she spends in the bathroom every morning trying to get rid of the red in her eyes and the swell? Of course, you don't notice. You are too busy scolding her for wasting the hot water."

"Stop it. Stop it, stop it. What are you trying to say, that I don't know my own sister? I may not know her the way I know Phoebe, but I'm getting to know her. I just need time." Piper raised her voice, trying to defend herself, feeling suddenly attacked in a very personal way.

"That's the problem, Piper. You are running out of time. It was only a miracle that you were granted just a little longer with her." The cryptic way in which Caroline spoke was starting to get quite tiring for Piper. She was angry at the things she had said. She just couldn't believe she was being scolded by a dead woman. But what really made her angry was that she was right. Caroline was making her face a truth that she had been ignoring. What she couldn't decipher, or more accurately, didn't want to discover was if she was doing it on purpose or not. If she was, she was truly hurting Paige because her sister was apparently going through difficult times and she was doing it alone when she was just a word away. _But then again, that's probably it. She doesn't know I'm here for her. And she doesn't know because I haven't told her. At least not in a way she can believe it._

The eldest Halliwell had to take a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. "I know what you are trying to do, I really do. But why am I running out of time? Does she want to leave here? Does she want to stop being a Charmed One, leave Phoebe and me?"

"What she wants is to stop living." Caroline said somberly.

"What?" The word came out of her mouth almost on its own volition since her entire body went still with the shock of the words she just heard.

"Piper, she had already tried to kill herself." Piper gasped at the terrible news, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, trying to overcome the chill and slight trembling that started taking over, feeling how her guilt was starting to consume her. Her baby sister could have been lost to her already and she didn't know, worst than that, she apparently didn't take the time to see her, to really see her and notice that something was terribly wrong. She would've lost another sister and this time it would have most definitely been her fault.

"How...how do you know this? How did she..." She trailed off, not wanting to say it.

"My spirit was somehow beckoned by her tremendous sorrow. I followed her pain until I found her. Since then we've become as one. What she knows I know; what she feels I feel. Even though she doesn't even know it, we are kindred spirits." Caroline found Piper looking at her intently, no doubt trying to understand such connection. She explained it to her without the need to be asked. "I died by my own hand. I committed suicide."

"I..." Piper trailed off again, unsure of what she could possibly say. Caroline, seeing this, decided to spare her the difficult moment. This was not about her after all.

"I won't tell you how she tried to do it. You don't need that image in your head. What you need to do is help her because only you can save her, Piper." Caroline's words brought Piper back to reality and she reacted to them, more than ever eager to save her sister.

"I don't know how to do it. I know what I have to do but, I just all of a sudden don't feel like I have the courage. After the way I've treated her or not treated her, how can I face her?" She said sincerely, her eyes watery with unshed tears.

"The day Paige tried to kill herself, she had plenty of time to accomplish it, but she didn't have the courage either, not that time. But I know the way it is, I've been there. It won't evade her forever, so you better find it first." Piper closed her eyes and took a deep breath, gathering her resolve and attempting to form words in her head to say to Paige. Nothing came to her mind that was worth saying. _Oh God, it's like she is not up there at all. _Piper thought, referring to her own head.

Caroline seemed to detect what was going through the young witch's mind and decided to help her along, to give her one last push. "You at least must know the answer to this question, Piper." Piper looked back at her expectantly. "Do you love her? Truly love her?"

"Of course I do." She answered a little too quickly, like people answer when it's out of convenience. But Piper knew she was not just saying the words; she was saying them because they were the truth.

"How do you know?" Caroline's question sounded strange to her ears, but she answered it just the same.

"I know because I can feel it. I can feel the love I have for her." Caroline couldn't help but smile at the expression of realization dawning on Piper's features. She apparently had never voice her feelings for Paige, keeping herself from being free to feel them.

"Then," Caroline approached Piper and this time the eldest Halliwell didn't retreat, totally unaffected by the floating spirit by now. Caroline deposited a hand over Piper's heart before continuing talking. "...if you can feel it here, there's no need to think. You already know how to do what you need to do."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Caroline started to fade away. She knew her time was up, and even though she felt like she had made a difference, she couldn't help but to plead for Paige one more time, to make sure her spirit would continued towards a path of light; unlike hers, forever free.

"Please, Piper, don't ever let her be like me, punished for eternity for doing this. Give her a reason to live. She only wants to be loved by you and accepted because she has no one else. You and Phoebe are all that is left. She adores you, Piper...adoresss...youuuuu..." Lost with the echo of her words, Caroline was gone.

"I won't, Caroline. I promise." Piper told her in a whisper, unsure if she could hear her or not, but she needed to say it after everything she had done to save Paige. Without Caroline, she probably would have never had the chance to make things right. "Thank you."

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To be continued....

A/N: It'll be nice if you let me know if you like it so far. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews. I'm glad you are liking this. I appreciate your insights, so keep those feedbacks coming. Let's continue, shall we?

Chapter 2

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Piper opened Paige's door as silently as she could. She felt kind of silly, after all, she was there to wake her up and talk to her, but she didn't want to startle her. She was feeling a sense of urgency, needing to do this now instead of waiting for the morning light and risking losing her nerve. A little bit of nervousness was understandable, but she could feel her hands already starting to shake, like she was on her way to meet the devil instead of an angel on earth. This was just her sister. Yet, Piper felt it was easier to face the Source again than to do what she needed to do because the _evil _she needed to vanquish tonight was her own stupidity, and it was not easy for Piper to accept that she had been acting stupid. But it was more than that. She had been acting selfishly and distant and unfeeling…_No wonder the poor thing had been feeling like I hate her._

The more she thought about it, the more she was realizing she had become the queen of shortcomings when it came to Paige. This was precisely why she dreaded facing her. She knew she had been unfair with her youngest sister.

Piper heard a small whimper and the sound brought her back from her reverie, focusing her eyes on Paige's sleeping form while sadly recognizing that her baby sister was crying in her sleep. The sound came again and Piper rushed to her side with anguish already gripping her heart. The soft moaning was telling enough of Paige's actual state, but for some reason, seeing her normally pale face shinning with who knew how many tears, it tore at her heart even more. She went to deposit a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder, but suddenly Paige spoke and Piper pulled her hand back to place it over her own heart instead, shaken by what she heard.

"Why…tell me…why…don't belong here…don't belong…I'm still alone…" Paige was talking in her sleep and crying softly, but what she was feeling and saying was not a dream but a reality that wouldn't stop hurting her. Piper's own tears finally made their way down her cheeks. Her heart was breaking with every word her sister pronounced while her guilt grew without measure.

"I'm sorry…sorry…never enough…Piper…I'm never enough…not my fault…Prue…not my fault…mom…why…" Piper started crying harder and shaking with as much anguish as Paige said the words. She couldn't believe what she had led Paige to believe, to feel. She couldn't believe that she had led herself to think that she loved her enough and that everything was fine when in reality she was making Paige feel unwanted and guilty of something she couldn't possibly be guilty of. How long had her baby sister been having these nightmares and feeling this pain? Why haven't she said anything to her? _Why haven't I been the sister she deserves?_ Piper reproached herself again, knowing well that no matter how she put it, it was her fault and hers alone.

"Prue…Piper…all my fault…all my fault…" Paige started trashing slightly as a sign that she was being tormented by whatever she was dreaming about.

"Oh honey, it's not your fault." Piper said; her voice no louder than a whisper, therefore not breaking through the nightmare that kept her lovely sister trapped within its torturous claws.

"No…no love…I tried…I can't…no more…no more…disappear…I have to…I need to…disappear…" The trashing became more frantic and the words louder as if with determination instead of sounding small and fragile like before.

"Over my dead body! You're not leaving us, leaving _me_, Paige Matthews, in whatever shape or form." Piper said, almost clenching her teeth. But she was not mad at Paige but at herself. She made her way around the bed to get in bed behind Paige who was now facing away from her.

Piper turned Paige around carefully and took her into her arms, resting her head on her left shoulder. The younger Halliwell stirred up a bit at being handled, but Piper spoke to her softly, soothing her until she relaxed completely. For a moment Piper was amazed at the effect her touch and words had had on her, and this made her think back to what Caroline had said about Paige adoring her. She had been doubtful about it before, but now she found she believed it seeing how it took so little from her to calm Paige, and she was not even awake.

She kept running her fingers through the silky and recently turned red hair while her other arm held on to her strongly and securely. At that moment, seeing her fragile and frightened little sister in the refuge of her embrace, Piper felt like a jolt of electricity was hitting her entire system when the full force of how much she really loved her impacted her. The feeling was not new either. It was not the first time she was feeling this overwhelming feeling of love and acceptance. But the first time she had felt it she had buried it so deep that it took her sister wanting to die to escape her indifference for her to find it again. How could she ever have deluded herself into believing that she could keep herself from loving this much again after Prue? If anything, she loved Paige even more, like she was loving her for two people; for herself and in representation of the big sister she never got to meet.

"Piper!" Paige almost jumped out of Piper's arms when she realized her older sister was holding her in the middle of the night. But Piper held on to her, not allowing her to leave her embrace.

"It's okay, Paige. Settle down." Paige lied back down, but she didn't calm down.

"What is going on? Why are you here with me like this? What are you doing?" Paige asked as if she couldn't believe what was happening because to her, for her sister to be holding her, it sure had to be demonic related or something along those lines. The thought made her tried again, to escape what she considered was a dangerous position at the moment, but once again, Piper held on to her with authority.

"Shh shh shh, you are okay. Everything is okay and will be okay. I promise you." Paige felt Piper wiping away tears from her face, and realized she must have been crying in her sleep. _Great, I'm so busted._

"Did I wake you? Is that it? I'm sorry. I'll be fine. You can go back to bed. I'm sorry that I woke you up." She hardly paused to take a breath while apologizing. Her hand getting rid of the remaining moisture on her face in an attempt to detach herself from Piper, perhaps considering the eldest's gesture too personal for the kind of relationship they had.

"Stop apologizing, baby girl. You have done nothing wrong. I just want to hold you. Please, let me hold you." Piper pleaded tenderly. This time Paige noticed the tears on Piper's own face as more of them traveled down the path their predecessors paved.

Paige remained both still and quiet for a while, still trying to work out if her sister was possessed or just gone bonkers. On the other hand, she also considered that maybe Piper was for real, that the love she was giving her and demonstrating at that moment was because Piper wanted to do that. What she couldn't understand was why, after all this time of showing that she couldn't care less. _Well, to be fair, she had shown that she cares on occasion, just not as much as she should. Definitely not as much as I would want her to. _

Paige waited a little longer before breaking the silence again, allowing her sister to hold her as she requested, but not enjoying their closeness because her doubts wouldn't let her. It didn't matter anyway, it was too late for Piper to try and love her. Her mind was made up.

"You know something, Paige?" Piper spoke, cutting Paige off before she even opened her mouth. She was absently stroking Paige's hair, seemingly to sooth them both. "You and me, we are the biggest liars in the world." Paige opened her eyes wide at the double accusation, definitely not understanding what her sister meant.

"Piper, what are you talking about?" She asked slowly and cautiously, more sure this was Piper and less that the situation was demonic related, but still opened to the possibility.

"What am I talking about? Tell me something, Missy Paige, how are you?" Paige frowned and her lips separated as if she was going to say something, but then she closed her mouth again while her eyes searched Piper's in confusion.

"I…I'm fine, and you?" Piper couldn't help but smile slightly at her baby sister's answer.

"Really? Then, why were you crying in your sleep?" Once again, Piper had to hold on tight to Paige as she tried to put distance between them. "You stay put, missy, and answer my question." Piper ordered softly and somewhat playfully.

"It's nothing. I'll be fine." Paige finally said as convincingly as she could.

"You see? Liar! You are lying through your teeth and lying to my face with such ease. I'm sure that is probably due to practice. Who knows how long you've been doing that." Piper said, barely waiting for Paige to finish with her answer before throwing it back in her face, but her voice was calmed and even sad, despite her words.

Paige didn't know what was going on with her big sister, but she was not going to take lightly being told to her face that she was a liar, and apparently a compulsive one at that. "And how would you know if I'm lying, like you know me so well?" She spoke with as much anger as she was feeling, but instead of eliciting Piper's fury for which she thought she had a devastating nag, she was quite surprised with Piper's reaction. Paige found herself being hugged tighter than before. Piper had even abandoned the stroking of her hair to put her other arm around her as well, as if she wanted to make her tiny and get her inside her heart. But the surprises didn't stop there. Piper pulled back a little after a few seconds and started planting a series of kisses on her forehead with such tenderness that it washed the anger right out of Paige.

"You are so right, baby girl. I don't know you that well. But, I do know you are lying because I've been lying too."

"Lying to whom, about what?" Paige went back to being intrigued with Piper's mood.

"To you, to myself, and about too many important things to be forgiven. But, I do hope you can someday forgive me, Paige, because I swear to God, I won't lie to you any longer." This time, when Paige tried to move away from Piper, she let her go without protest. But Paige didn't move too far, she just propped herself on her elbow to have a better look of Piper's face, the silvery moonlight providing enough illumination for them to see each other.

"Piper, you are scaring me? Please, tell me what is happening?" Piper recognized the sliver of fear in Paige's eyes and recalled seeing it there before. It was there the day they've met, and many other moments after that. Especially during moments when Paige had thought she had done something wrong or indeed had done something wrong, and had to face her. Piper now understood that it was never about being reprimanded what Paige feared, it was about failing her. _And who the hell am I to make you feel like that?_

Piper reached up and brushed her sister's face with her knuckles before unfolding her fingers to tug at the edge of her jaw to prompt her to lie back down on her shoulder. Paige obeyed, but the feeling of wariness was still pretty much intact.

"I'll tell you what is happening, but first let's promise something to each other. Please?" Piper nodded to Paige, trying to get her to agree with her. Paige looked into her sister's eyes and for some reason just knew that this was very important to her, and nodded back her agreement. Piper let out a sigh of relief before she continued. "We need to promise to be honest with one another here. I already told you I won't lie to you, and I really need you to not lie to me, Paige. I mean it." Piper added when she saw her baby sister lowering her eyes, obviously not too convinced she could comply with their treaty.

"Paige?"

"All right, all right, I promise." Paige let out a big sigh and answered with resignation and sounding like a cornered little girl.

Piper couldn't help but feel as if both she and Paige were exactly at the same crossroads, except, that their dilemma was not about choosing the right way. It was about starting the walk, facing the road, but most importantly, getting there together. She let her fingers get lost in the deep red of her little sister's hair again and sighed away her trepidations one last time. _We'll make it together, Missy Paige, even if I have to carry you myself. _

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To be continued.

Please, read and review.!!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Thank you so much for reviewing this story.

**missypaige06** – I also enjoyed when Piper took care of Paige in the series, and so I decided to include a big dose of that in this story, and hopefully their emotions will be well represented in this chapter as well.

**NERDZROCK6** – Thanks for reviewing. Since this is my take on their dynamic, I decided to leave it all out there. I hope you like it.

**Paige Halliwell, ferocious mope** - Thanks for your kind words. I'm a poetry writer too, so I'm guessing that spills into my story writing. But since you like it, no worries here for me. J

**CharmingKeslsey16 **– I second your opinion. Sisters' fics rock!

**lizardmomma** – You might want to get your Kleenex box out for this one. Thanks for your review. I really appreciate it.

This one is a bit long, but I didn't want to interrupt the goodness.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 3**

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"Not to be a pain in the ass, Piper, but I'm still waiting." Paige urged tentatively after the long silence was starting to be too much. It was definitely adding to her tension, and if there was something she didn't need it was more tension in her life, especially between her and Piper. She wasn't looking forward to the whole sincerity thing, but she was willing to risk paying the price if it got her an answer to the sudden conundrum her eldest sister had become.

Piper responded with a chuckle. That was so Paige. No matter how serious or dangerous the situation, she always managed to be this amalgam of timid bluntness. Piper suddenly had a realization; she knew this was a Paige characteristic, just as she knew and could easily recognize many others of her quirks, odd expressions, and frankly quite unique mannerisms. Piper couldn't help but feel mildly satisfied with the knowledge that she was not a 'baby sister virgin' after all.

"What's so funny?" Paige asked, eyeing Piper suspiciously.

"You are. I don't know exactly what it is, but you have always managed to make me laugh."

Piper answered sincerely, but Paige had her doubts because she had hardly ever seen any evidence of this "mirth" she caused Piper. Most of the time what she got from her were frowns, rolling eyes and disapproving looks.

"You don't say. And when was this?" Almost immediately, regret washed over Paige as her words were heavily carrying the hurt barely hidden in sarcasm that was in her thoughts from just seconds before. She had always tried to be careful not to exteriorize how she was feeling around her new family, in that house…around Piper. She didn't want them to know that almost from the beginning or that especially of late, she was feeling like finding her real family was no longer a blessing because they made her feel invisible.

Amidst the demon hunting and spell casting business her sisters were always doing, it was easy for them to forget about the new addition to their family. But the problem was that was not the reason they were casting her aside. On the contrary, it was her presence what completed the famous, and granted, quite necessary Power of Three, the biggest force of good there was. That part, they were happy with. What was making them not give her a second thought was the fact that they didn't even want her there in the first place.

This made her feel gravely alone.

When you have no one to love you it doesn't hurt not to be loved as much as not being loved when you have someone to love you, but they won't. This was killing her. Worse even, she already felt dead inside, the awful sensation was with her all the time, and lately it was coupled with the idea of making it easier for them to carry on, and just disappear from their lives.

Not long ago she had tried this, to leave the sorrow behind, the painful memories that plagued her instead of the beautiful ones she was hoping for but that never got a chance to be born. She almost had her foot out the door, out of existence itself, however, that tiny hope, that immensely persistent dream of hers to be accepted by them, but especially Piper, was still strong enough to pull her back, but where, to what…to this? So, what if Piper was with her now, apparently being the kind of sister she always wanted? She still didn't know what _this _was; she still didn't feel like she belonged anywhere; she still didn't feel like staying.

Piper saw Paige lowered her eyes as the only means to hide that her sister had left, and knew it was time to start telling her the truths she owed her because the simple question she had asked was just a small demonstration of how much mistrust she had forged between the two of them while swimming in self commiseration.

Once again Piper let go of Paige and this time it was her who was getting to a sitting position. She crossed her legs and comfortably settled on a spot before offering her hand to the younger woman, inviting her to do the same. Finally, they were both sitting on the bed, face to face, with no place to hide their emotions, and no time left to stall getting them out in the open.

Piper knew it was up to her to start the conversation, so she started talking, taking the first step down what she hoped was the right path.

"Do you remember that first night when we met?" She decided to start at the beginning, precisely at the moment when she had started to lie to herself and therefore to Paige.

"Yeah." Paige started timidly. "No offense, but it was not one of my favorite moments. I mean, not the meeting you part." She rushed to amend. "What I mean is, you know, everything that happened that night, that entire day. I guess I was feeling totally out of place, lost. I don't know how to explain it." Her last sentence was said in a very low voice, like she was giving up on the explanation.

"Your life was turned upside down in a day. It would have been unnatural if you would've kept it together." Paige nodded to Piper, seeing that she understood what she had meant after all. "That day I was feeling, understandably so, miserable. I had just lost my big sister to a demon, Cole was attacked at her funeral, Phoebe was going after Shax practically on her own because she had a premonition about this mysterious girl that was now on his sights, and as if that weren't enough, the Elders were practically demanding that we continued on with our precious destiny." Piper had to take a little breather, the memory of that day still having a very real effect on her. She looked to the ceiling and sighed before continuing.

"Do you know where I wanted to tell them, to scream at them they could shove their orders?" Piper gave Paige in all seriousness a mischievous look.

"It's not difficult at all to imagine." Paige responded while her mouth tried to mimic a smile.

"Well, whatever you are thinking you are correct. I actually had a list." This time Paige's smile was genuine. "Anyway, the point is I had the best excuse in the world to do nothing more for _them_. The Power of Three was over. With Prue gone we were done. But of course, I was wrong." Piper used both her hands to illustrate Paige, as if she were modeling her.

Paige's countenance became somber in a flash. All the guilt and sense of inadequacy coming back full force to remind her why she wished that day had never happened. Piper noticed her discomfort, but she continued regardless. It was all part of the process they both needed to go through, and she knew that soon she as well would be showing deep sorrows and regrets of her own.

"I ended up summoning the _spirit parade _of grams and mom and the news that the Power of Three could be reconstituted because 'by the way, you have another sister'." The mockery with which she said the words lacked the anger it once evoked, as if it had never been there. Looking at Paige's face she knew why it was gone. Piper took both of Paige's hands in hers and squeezed them a little to make sure her sister had her attention on her, she needed her to understand, but most importantly believe what she was about to say.

"I told you I was not going to lie to you. So here are a couple of truths I should have told you a long time ago." Paige's eyes widened a little, not knowing what to expect.

"The moment I learned I had another sister, and that the general notion was that we needed to go back to being the Charmed Ones, to continue fighting the very forces of evil that had just taken away Prue, I was absolutely furious."

Piper felt the tension in Paige through their joined hands, but she didn't loosen the firm hold she had on them. "We fought so hard, took so many risks, saved so many people…but when it was time to reward us, to have our backs, not only did they not grant Prue her life back, they pretended that we continued on like nothing had happened, to keep risking it all, and even risk losing _you _as well. Not only were you another sister, you were a sister we hadn't even had the chance to know. The fury I was feeling at that moment, and that you very likely mistook as being directed at you, was really directed at the Elders, at magic, at this damn destiny." Piper paused a second, unclenched her teeth and softened her gaze while looking deeply into Paige's eyes. "And then there was the guilt, when I realized what I had done."

"What do you mean, Piper? Why did you feel guilty?" The sisters searched each other's eyes: Paige with confusion and Piper with repentance.

"I didn't want to let her go, Paige. I couldn't. I didn't know how. Hell, I plainly didn't want to." Piper started crying softly, but she didn't hide her tears from her sister, she needed her to see that which she had always hidden from her. "Paige, I'm sorry for the many times you have had to hear this, but I swear it was never my intention to hurt you in anyway. It's just that Prue was so special to me. I love Phoebe with all my heart, but Prue was-" More tears rushed down her now eternally wet cheeks, drowning her words for a moment.

"…she was your big sister. The one you looked up to, the one you followed and emulated and depended on…and were supposed to be able to trust no matter what. I understand, Piper. I can sort of relate." Paige humbly rescued the rest of her sentiment, but to Piper, Paige's faltering words at the end cut her very deeply because once again she saw how she had failed to be the big sister Paige not only wanted, but needed.

"That night," Piper continued after she collected herself enough. "…I cast as many spells as I knew and found, trying to get Prue back or at least see her, to talk to her. I needed her to help me understand why she was suddenly gone. So many things were left unsaid. Life is tricky that way. You think you have all the time in the world with someone and then, from one second to the next, there's just this empty space in their stead, like a black hole, destroying everything in its path."

Without intending to do so, Piper's soulful description created a bridge between the sad moments she had experienced and Paige's intentions of taking her own life. Realizing this Piper hoped her words could help her baby sister understand the kind of devastation her actions would cause if she ever went through with it. It was not Piper's intention to let Paige know about what she had learned from Caroline, but she knew what her goal was.

"I remember I kept trying to bring her back despite my exhaustion, but nothing worked, at least not in terms of Prue. But it was because of one of those spells that we found you, or more accurately, you found us." She lowered her head, her guilt seemingly too heavy for her to pretend to be righteous.

"Is that why you're feeling guilty, because your spell might've brought us together? Because if that is it you better stop it right now, lady. I don't think I was going to stay out of the Elders' radar for long even if you didn't cast any spells. If the forces of good magic really wanted the Power of Three back, the Charmed Ones reconstituted, I would've ended up here anyway."

Some drops of salty moisture fell from Piper's face and onto their hands, like blessing the connection they were building. Paige freed one of her hands to try and dry her sister's cheeks, mirroring the caring action Piper had had with her, and she didn't feel as strange as before, as if something had changed between them.

"Maybe, but I just got you here sooner."

"Piper-"

"Not only that," Piper continued without acknowledging Paige's attempt at refuting her. "…I treated you like an unwanted stranger, an unimportant someone who I pitied for sharing my heritage, my curse."

Paige kept shaking her head 'no', trying to find a window to get through Piper's words so she could tell her that she was wrong, that it hadn't been that bad. She couldn't understand herself, this need to console Piper when she was stating what she knew very well was the truth. She almost gasped when Piper's declarations from before stroke her, like a slap in the face that wouldn't tolerate pretend ignorance. _You were right, Piper. I'm a liar._

"All this time you must've been feeling like I don't love you or accept you here with us, in this house and as part of this family. I must've made you feel like you don't belong, like you shouldn't be here for whatever the reasons, right or wrong."

This time Paige remained still, unable to deny and at the same time struggling to believe that Piper was professing her most guarded feelings and thoughts aloud, as if they were one soul and one mind.

"_That _is the biggest lie of all." Piper said with desperation and grabbed hold of both of Paige's hands, pushing them together like in prayer, trapping them between her own and bringing them to her lips to kiss them for as long as she dared. "It was all a lie, Paige, an act for my own benefit because I was so scared."

"Scared of what?" Paige managed to ask through the lump in her throat while her eyes sparkled with the wet expression of her feelings that resisted falling.

"I was scared of how much I already loved you." The youngest Halliwell's face became a mask of sad incredulity, and not taking long in also demonstrating disgust at the cruelty of being tricked on something this important by her own sister. Piper recognized the hurt in her face and immediately started to explain what she meant before losing what little ground she had gained.

"Try and remember, Paige, that moment, before I extended my hand to shake yours. Phoebe, Leo and I were coming down the stairs discussing how to find you and _puff_, suddenly you were there in our house and in our hallway. Phoebe had seen you before, but that was my first time. And I was bringing with me this huge cargo of reasons why this was going to be a one time thing. To me the plan was just to save you, and then that was it. No more Charmed Ones, no more demons, no more magic. I just wanted to crawl into a corner and cry an eternity because life had become too horrible for me to live it. In a way, I just felt like following Prue to wherever she was. But then, I laid my eyes on you and saw you, really saw you."

Piper's tone of voice changed in an instant, going from dramatic to softer undertones, almost romanticizing what she was saying. "I saw the long black hair, the dark brown eyes, the porcelain like skin, and your trembling lips that jumped as much as your eyes full of wonder…and it just hit me. I had a baby sister and she was beautiful. Everything just fell away for that one second, all my firmly crafted plans forgotten while I felt this pain in my heart, engulfing my soul. Not the grieving for my big sister pain, but a pain that came from the amount of love, and nostalgia, and the overwhelming need to protect you. However, the next second it was gone, just gone. Somehow I buried it so deep within me that even later, when I wanted to show this love to you, I couldn't let it out."

Paige was listening to Piper, hanging on her every word, and so eager to believe her. How long she had longed to know how she really felt, that she really wanted her there so they could be a real family, the three of them together as it was meant to be. But then, her hope was stolen faster than it had been given when Piper arrived at the same place she had departed from; that place where Prue's presence was all encompassing and there wasn't any space left for her. Paige felt like she was in a never ending loop when she had to swallow her heart to let her voice out through her own tears.

"Why, Piper, why can't you love me? I know I'm not Prue, but-"

"Shh." Piper put her fingers over Paige's lips to keep her from saying what she knew was her biggest fear; her belief that she was not accepted because they only wanted the sister they've lost. "Oh, you silly baby girl, you still don't understand, do you?" Piper asked softly and tenderly while placing her hands at either side of Paige's face, caressing the rosy cheeks with her thumbs.

Paige shook her head 'no' admitting defeat, truly confused. She just couldn't understand what Piper was trying to say. Piper's hands lingered on Paige's soft and warm face, making sure she had her undivided attention while she told her something she had never said before and promised herself to never stop saying.

"I _am_ a liar because I've been living a lie. I've pretended that I don't need you when it is only because of you that I'm still standing because you gave me a reason to go on. I've tried to keep you at arms length when the reality is that you've been inside my heart all along. I've tried to be stern and firm and diligent in teaching you what you need to know as a witch because we can't afford mistakes in our battles against evil. But it's not about the Charmed Ones' reputation but about us coming back home save, all of us. Paige, sweetie," Piper lowered her hands to Paige's shoulders, but a second later her right hand started playing with the red hair again, as if inevitably enchanted.

"…what I'm trying to say here is that I _do_ love you, more than you can imagine. I might've been behaving more like a wicked witch than the sister you need and deserve, but it was never about me not loving you or accepting you, and even less with the fact that you are not Prue. Prue was who she was, just like you are who you are. It was always about how terrified I was of getting this precious gift one day just to live the rest of my life fighting not to lose it the way I lost Prue. And I may not know Paige Matthews like the back of my hand, but I know that I love you enough to want to know everything about you, and that I want you in my life for as long as I have left to live. I _need_ you in my life, Paige."

Paige searched Piper's eyes again, still expectantly, for some reason feeling like something was missing. "Why now, Piper? Why all of a sudden you decide to be…this way, to say all of this to me?" Paige narrowed her eyes, suspicious to the end, in spite of the words that made her heart crumble as much as they made it swell. Piper had to shake her head at her attitude, and found herself remembering that she also knew this about her little sister, about how stubborn she could be.

"Because I was running out of time, because I was afraid I was going to lose you."Piper answered seriously, and sadly.

"Lose me-?" Suddenly Paige's breath caught in her throat keeping her from saying anything else, and her eyes widened in panic at the horrific possibility that Piper knew what she had done, what she intended to do. With the many magic tricks her sister knew, that thought was not that far fetched. It would be devastating if she knew, especially now that she was not so sure she wanted to…leave. "What do you mean with _lose me_?" She asked while her thundering heart gave faith of how scared she was of the answer.

"It's ironic, really. You can't lose something that was never yours to begin with. Still, even though we have never been that close, I still noticed that you were drifting ever so slowly away from me, and it hurt. It hurt because my actions were pushing you away, and because you, you just didn't fight me enough. That is why you are a liar, Paige."

"I couldn't make you love me, Piper. What was I supposed to do, shove myself down your throat?" Paige left the bed abruptly and started pacing around the dark room, feeling upset because apparently Piper was blaming her for the fact that she couldn't love her. How could that be possible?

"No, but you could've told me the truth all those times I asked you if everything was all right when it was obvious that it wasn't, you could've gotten mad and stomp your foot on the floor and yell at me as hard as you could that you were there and I wasn't seeing you. You could have also seen the love I had for you instead of just waiting for me to say it out loud. You promised not to lie, so tell me the truth now, Paige. Did you ever notice at all how I was, even if it was just a little, showing you that I loved you?"

Paige stopped her pacing and let her gaze fall on the black sky, seemingly reaching out to its darkness for answers when in reality she was searching inside herself.

"I've always known that you care. I guess the problem is I needed more than that. I was on my own for so long, and I believed it didn't matter. It was a lie. The moment I knew I had sisters I found myself thinking how could I ever survive being alone again. And even though I wasn't entirely thrill with it, I was willing to leave my solo persona behind to be part of something that deep inside I've always longed for, to be back with my real family. But it was not a smooth transition. I was used to my way of living, then, all of a sudden I needed to share my life, my space, my privacy, and risk my life alongside my long lost sisters, which is fine, being who we are and all." At that moment Paige decided to turn around and face Piper. If she was going to be letting go of her own truths, she needed to do it facing Piper just like Piper had done with her. "But I felt like an instrument, something convenient to solve a problem, nothing else. I didn't realize how much I was starving for company, for a family, for someone's unconditional love...until I found you guys. Except, that it's been more than a year and I'm still starving because this feels like a contract, not a family."

Piper felt compelled to leave the bed as well and go to her sister to offer her comfort, but after getting mere inches from her, she held her touch at bay. They were still on shaky ground, and no matter how freely she was touching her before, now she feared a tiny brush from her hand could become the push that sent Paige over an edge from where there was no coming back.

"You are right, honey, we are not the family we should be. But we-"

"Can you still see me? I mean, that girl whom you loved for that one second. Am I not her, Piper?" Paige cut Piper off with desperation framing her entire countenance, as if she was playing her last card.

Piper shook her head 'no', almost breaking Paige's heart with the act, but it remained unbroken with her next words.

"You are so much more now. I love you so much more. Back then you were the little half sister I never knew, and yes, I loved you then. But now, you _are _my sister. Not half sister, not a stranger, and certainly not an instrument." Piper got closer to Paige and offered to take her hands in hers, hoping Paige wouldn't reject her. Gratefully, Paige placed her hands inside Piper's, allowing her to hold on to her, reunifying a bond they both hoped was unbreakable.

"Sometimes I think that my ulcer has an ulcer of its own with the amount of time I spend worrying about you." Paige started to smile, the anguish from just moments before starting to disintegrate. "Not knowing where you are sometimes, with whom, doing what. Not that it is of my business, but I can't help it. That is why I had Leo watch over you constantly during those first weeks. Even now I'm always thinking, what if a demon attacks her, does she know enough spells, will she remember to orb, or to call Leo, will she be fast enough, will she come to me so I can protect her?"

Piper saw Paige starting to cry again, but this time she knew her tears were of joy and relief, and not pain. She smiled at her, like saying that she had a reason to be happy. _You have a reason to live, my dear sister._ "The truth, the absolute truth is, Paige, if something were to happen to you, I couldn't go on, not this time. I opened the doors of this house for you, but you could've entered anyway because it is your house too. But, I guess I failed miserably at letting you know that the door to my heart was also opened. A house doesn't make a home; the love we three have for each other do. I know Phoebe loves you. She always has, and was able to show it and say it better than me. But, now you can be absolutely sure that I do too. The question is, do you love us enough to never leave us, to never leave _me_?"

The overwhelming rush of emotions only allowed Paige to nod her head, but she nodded it most emphatically. Piper opened her arms and Paige practically crushed her when she hugged her, finally free to enjoy their closeness without the fear of being in the face of neither malevolence nor fallacy.

"This is my truth, Piper. I finally feel whole. Please don't hurt me again, don't tear me down. I need…" She couldn't continue with words, she just kept crying while feeling Piper hugging her back, keeping her save, loving her.

"Whatever you need, it's yours, baby girl. I've got you and I will never let you go. I promise."

"I will hold you to that." Paige said through her sobs, still crushing Piper within her arms.

"Bring it on." Piper responded; her tone playful, but full of commitment.

Time went by unmeasured, neither needing anything else but to feel and know that they were exactly where they needed to be; where they were meant to be. Piper thought back to the road just traveled by them, and knew it had been a rough one, but she would do it again, a thousand times, if it meant saving her sister, because she had saved her sister. She didn't know why it had taken her this long to do this, she really didn't have far to go, and all it took were tears and courage and truth.

* * *

To be continued...

**A/N: **If you rewatch that episode of Charmed, "Charmed Again", and you look for it, you will see the second I'm refering to in this chapter. If you do, let me know if you can see Piper face's expression of absolute love, and how after just one moment it goes to express apathy. It happens just like it says in the chapter. It is when Piper is approaching Paige and seeing her for the first time. That second was the whole inspiration for this story. I challenge you to find it.

Now that you had a little bit more of me, how about I get a little bit more of you. Please review!! Thanks!!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Epilogue**

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"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, I can't believe how late I am. I'm so fired." Phoebe rushed into the kitchen, lamenting like a drama queen while gathering the things that she needed to take with her to the office.

"You're not going to get fired, Phoebe, and you know it. Those people know half of San Francisco wouldn't be able to find their own behinds without your wisdom." Piper told her without moving from her place behind the stove where she was preparing breakfast, filling her comforting words with the hyperbole that often adorned their banter.

"Well, okay, maybe not fired, but Elise will give me an earful, I can guarantee that. Ooh, perhaps I can make it a small earful if a certain someone gives me a ride." She said turning to look at Paige who was resting her chin on her hand lazily and contemplating Piper with sleepy eyes.

"I didn't quit my job to become an aerial taxi. Besides, Piper is making my favorite breakfast and I don't intend on moving from this spot." Paige protested, sounding tired yet excited like a little kid.

"Oh, come on, Paige. Wait a minute," Phoebe stopped herself when she noticed how both her sisters looked. "…are you okay, honey? You don't look so hot, and you neither, Piper. What gives?"

"Just a little tired, that's all. Paige and I had a late chat last night." Piper said.

"Is everything okay?" Now Phoebe was exercising caution, not knowing if her sisters had had another of their really unnecessary disagreements.

"Yeah, everything is fine. In fact, it's great." Paige answered, suddenly transforming into a perky person, except that Phoebe could see that her happiness was genuine.

Phoebe looked back at Piper when she saw Paige gazing past her, and saw how her big sister was returning her gaze and also had a big smile plastered on her face. _Hmm. _She squint her eyes suspicious.

"All right you two, spill. What was this little chat of yours about that has you all giddy, and why wasn't I invited?" Phoebe kept looking back and forth between her sisters to catch the moment either of them decided to volunteer an answer.

"Didn't she say she was late?" Paige directed her question at Piper, while getting up to stand next to the middle sister, completely ignoring Phoebe's inquiry.

"Yeah she did. Here," Piper said, handing Phoebe a lunch bag. "I packed you something to eat. Paige, be a good girl and save your sister's job." Piper said in a rush, following Paige's lead.

"Hey hey, hang on, I asked you a question." Phoebe complained, almost whining.

"Come on, Phoebe, lots of broken hearts are waiting, especially with all the people that have left theirs in San Francisco." It was again Paige's turn to quip.

"Ha ha ha, very funny. Don't think I don't know what you are doing. I-"

"Off you go, Missy Paige, your breakfast is almost done. Take Phoebe to her office and rush back, but be careful." Piper cut Phoebe off, ignoring her protests yet again, trying to look serious, but smirking enough to not full anyone.

"You bet ya, big sis." Her sisters' interaction stunt Phoebe into silence for a moment.

"Good." Piper turned her attention back to Phoebe. "I love you, Pheebs, have a nice day. Wait, Paige," Piper rushed to say when she saw the white and blue orbs start to form around her younger sisters, making them disappear as fast as they had appeared.

"Yes?" Paige said expectantly after she rematerialized completely.

"I love you." Paige's face broke into a huge smile whereas Phoebe's just contorted into astonishment.

"I love you too." The younger sister declared back, almost shyly, prompting another smile fest between them.

"Okay, that's it. I demand an explanati…" The whitelighter orbs' chiming drowned the rest of Phoebe's words when a wink from Piper sent Paige on her way once again.

Once she was alone Piper let out her laughter at the joke her baby sister and she had played on Phoebe. She of course will share with her Paige's and hers new found relationship, but it was fun making her wait. Piper set the table carefully, fixing two places with attention and love, and when she was done she sat down and waited for Paige to return with a sense of absolute joy embracing her heart.

*******

"Caroline."

"Who's there?" Caroline turned this way and that way, trying to find the source of the voice that had spoken her name. It had been a male voice, but she couldn't see anyone.

But she did see something.

She had been in limbo for a long time. She didn't know exactly how long because time was just different there, but it felt to her like centuries. During all this time she had heard the occasional tormented moan of a passing soul on their way to their own hell. In even less occasions, spirits were lifted to what could only be heaven if the sense of peace and faraway melodies that lingered behind for a short while were any indication.

But never once anyone had spoken to her, let alone knew her name. That is why the bright light that kept growing in front of her very eyes was scaring her greatly. Not that she had anything left to lose.

"Caroline."

"Whoever you are, I'm here, show yourself. What do you want from me?"

Little by little the bright light started to dissipate while at the same time transforming into a man; a young, tall, blonde man.

"Please, don't be scared. My name is Leo, and I'm here for you." He said with a pleasant voice and sincere eyes.

"What do you mean you are here for me? Where are you taking me?"

Caroline's eyes went wide when he pointed upwards.

"There must be a mistake. I've been condemned to spend my eternity here."

"Not anymore." He said softly again.

"How is that possible? Why?" Caroline asked aghast at what was happening to her.

"Because you have found redemption." Leo answered her with a smile that spoke of pride.

"What does that mean? How?"

"When you found Paige and saw what she was going through and what she intended to do, instead of turning your back on her, you did everything you could to help save her. That showed _them _that you have gone back to understanding the meaning of life and how precious it is."

"Paige…did Piper talked to her, is she going to be okay?" Caroline forgot about herself for a moment at the mention of the woman that had become her whole world outside limbo for a time.

"Yes, she's going to be fine, and in saving her you have saved many other lives because she is not only a Charmed One, she is an angel too."

Caroline smiled inwardly. _I always thought she looked like an angel. _It was one of the reasons she had felt so strongly compelled to help her, because angels belonged in heaven. Where she was now, resembled hell too well, and Caroline didn't want that for Paige, and in her need to reach her, she had had to transform her old perceptions and leave behind the bitterness that she had fooled herself into thinking was helping her withstand her fate to become who she should've been all along. But she didn't mind the lateness of her transformation because it meant something. She had made a difference even in death.

"Leo, I remember you now. You are Piper's husband. Since losing my connection with Paige her memories just faded away, but I still have some."

"Yes, that's me, and I've been waiting patiently up there for you to put Piper on the right path. They wanted me out of the way for a while to give her the freedom to act on her instincts instead of using me as a buffer. I've been their whitelighter for a long time, and they all mean the world to me, but I didn't know what else to do to help them, even though I knew exactly what was wrong. But for some reason I couldn't get through to them, well, to Piper. The Elders thought it was because I was too close, and that perhaps it would be better for Piper to get the message from you." Caroline widened her eyes again when she realized something.

"The Elders, they let me feel Paige's pain, they led me to her."

"They wanted to save you both." Leo clarified, letting her know that she hadn't been a pawn in their plans but a soul they were also unwilling to lose.

"Am I? Save I mean. Am I really going to get out of here?"

Leo answered her by extending his hand to her and giving her an inviting smile. To complete the surreal moment, the white light came back, brighter than ever before, welcoming them both into an afterlife fit for the righteous, the good, and the redeemed.

*******

The End

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**A/N: **I want to thank every single one of you for reading this and sharing your thoughts with me. I'm glad you liked this little story. Please, be kind and leave your final thoughts before you go on with your lives.


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